The present invention generally relates to portable cellular telephone devices, and more particularly to a wrist-worn cellular phone.
Thanks to the recent advances in wireless communication technology, cellular telephones enjoy enormous popularity. While early models were large and heavy, and therefore difficult for a user to carry comfortably, newer models have steadily decreased in size and weight. The cellular telephones which are in use today are compact enough to fit a person""s pocket or purse.
While the new models enjoy increased portability, they do suffer from several drawbacks. For instance, their light weight and small size renders the telephones prone to falling, breaking, or simply being forgotten. Additionally, when a cellular telephone user receives a call, a time loss is experienced while the user locates and retrieves the telephone (which may be in her pocket, purse, brief case, etc.).
In order to overcome these drawbacks, cellular telephones which can be worn on the wrist of a user have also been developed. Some of these devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,239,521; 5,274,513; 5,224,076. In all these disclosures a telephone device is typically in the form of a wristwatch fastened to the user""s wrist via a strap, wherein a cellular phone mechanism replaces that of a watch in its conventional location. The main components of a cellular phone mechanism, such as transceiver, telephone call initiating means, a keyboard, a voice recognition device, a display, etc., as well as a battery power source, are accommodated within a common case. A microphone and a speaker are usually incorporated within the strap.
One of the problems which is experienced by the wrist-mounted cellular phones in the prior art is that they are difficult for a user to operate. For instance, some of the cellular telephone devices of the prior art remain attached to the user""s wrist while the user is conducting a conversation. Thus, a user initiates a call by pressing the keypad of the device while the device is mounted to a wrist, then holds her wrist next to her ear in order to carry on a conversation. Because the microphone and speaker of the devices are fixed in a predetermined location on the device, the user is often required to hold his or her arm in an unusual position in order to line up the microphone and speaker with his or her mouth and ear, respectively. Alternatively, some of the cellular telephone devices of the prior art require that the device be removed from the user""s wrist prior to initiating or receiving a telephone call.
In addition, the decrease in size of the cellular phone to that which can comfortably be worn on a person""s wrist typically results in a corresponding decrease in the overall size of the keypad of the cellular phone. The small overall size of the keypad in turn requires that the keys of the keypad be smaller and/or closer in proximity. The small, closely-spaced keys are difficult for a user to operate, in that the wrong keys may be inadvertently pressed.
Thus, a need exists for an improved wrist-worn cellular telephone device.
According to one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a cellular telephone device comprising two C-shaped members which are configured to be detachably secured around a wrist of a user. The members have an inside surface, which is in contact with the user""s wrist when the device is in the closed position. On the inside surface is disposed either a keypad unit for providing signals to the cellular telephone device or at least one display unit. According to one embodiment, the device comprises a cellular phone mechanism, which is configured to transmit and receive communication signals, and which is housed in one of the members. In addition, the device comprises a battery which is configured to supply power to the cellular phone mechanism, and which is also housed in one of the members.
In a preferred embodiment, the two members are C-shaped and are pivotably connected at one end by a hinge and are detachably connected at a second end by a clasp mechanism. The clasp mechanism maintains the two members in a closed position around the user""s wrist, until the user actuates a clasp release mechanism, wherein the members are pivotable into an open position. The clasp mechanism may comprise a latch on one member which engages a recess in the other member.
Preferably, one of the members comprises a speaker unit while the other member comprises a microphone. The speaker unit and the microphone are configured such that, when the device is in an open position, the speaker unit and the microphone are positionable proximate to a user""s ear and mouth, respectively.
Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the invention, the members further comprise an outer surface, wherein various features of the cellular telephone are disposed on the outer surface. For instance, mounted on the outer surface may be a display unit, the keypad, or a watch unit. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, mounted on the outer surface is a speaker unit and a microphone, which are configured to be employed by said user when said device is in said closed position.